OREANDA-NEWS. February 28, 2008. In 2008, some 12 canning plants will be launched in Belarus, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky told the session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers which discussed the implementation of the programme on development of preserved fruits and vegetables production in Belarus for the period to 2010, reported the Official website www.government.by.

According to the Head of Government, due to the new facilities the production of the preserved fruits and vegetables in Belarus will be doubled.

According to Sergei Sidorsky, “there is a need to develop the programme on sale of this kind of products. Producers and the Trade Ministry should know where and how it will be sold”. All the structures – Belgospischeprom, Belkoopsoyz, the Trade Ministry and State Standard Committee should be involved in this process, the official noted. The implementation of the programme will allow this country to reduce the import of preserved fruits and vegetables. At present, the share of the imported preserved fruits and vegetables on the Belarusian market is almost 60%.

In 2008, the Vitebsk-based Canning Plant (preserved fruits and vegetables production) intends to show a profit, Ivan Danchenko, the chairman of Belgospischeprom Concern, told the session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers which discussed the implementation of the programme on development of preserved fruits and vegetables production in Belarus for the period to 2010.

According to him, the Vitebsk company has a lot of problems. In 2007, Br5, 3 billion was invested in its development. Over the recent years totally about Br11 billion has been invested in the company. At the same time, in 2007, the stocks of finished products at the company made up 83.8% of the monthly average output.

“It is a complicated company. However, we are working with it. We do not lose heart. There is a personnel problem at the company. We replaced the director,” Ivan Danchenko said. According to specialists, in line with the results of 2008, the company will show a profit.

On the whole, the Belarusian cannery industry includes 53 organizations, Ivan Danchenko noted.
At present, companies which produce preserved fruits and vegetables are being renovated and modernized. The investments in the branch increased 4,9 times to reach Br132, 9 billion.

According to the head of the concern, the country has set up the base which allows the domestic companies to produce preserved fruits and vegetables including infant food as much as we need.